In July, Lawyers for Lawyers submitted a report for the Universal Periodic Review of Nepal. This review will take place in January/February 2021.
In the report Lawyers for Lawyers highlighted that the Nepalese authorities do not always uphold the necessary guarantees for the proper functioning of the legal profession in practice, as set out in the UN Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers.
Lawyers for Lawyers has expressed concerns about the threats, harassment and persecution of lawyers. Lawyers from Nepal have reported that insufficient measures are taken to guarantee the confidential nature of the meetings of lawyers with their clients. Lawyers sometimes don’t have access to their clients at all. Furthermore, the visits often do not take place in a private room and allegedly there is often a
police officer present who can hear what is being discussed.
Moreover, lawyers in Nepal working on sensitive cases are sometimes the subject of surveillance by law enforcement agencies. Some lawyers in Nepal reported to have been subjected to threats and harassment in connection to their professional activities. Also, some lawyers working on sensitive cases have been subjected to or threatened with prosecution. There is reason to believe that their prosecution is connected
to their legitimate activities. These issues have been illustrated by examples in the report.
Lawyers for Lawyers was informed by multiple lawyers that they do not always feel supported by the bar associations when they are being harassed or threatened in connection to their legitimate work as a lawyer.
Lawyers for Lawyers has made multiple recommendations to the government of Nepal.
